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Original poster

Has anyone done the REMO route for child maintenance?

393 replies

Legaldispair · 08/01/2023 09:57

So my ex husband is suppose to pay child maintenance, paid the minimum for a few years and last year I noticed CMS were using old information to work out what he should pay me as his salary had trebled and they have never recalculated, to cut a long story short I have a hearing soon about this as he continued to dispute it and HE took it to tribunal. THEN on top of that he moved to New York… has always threatened it, and has paid nothing for a year as he ‘doesn’t know what he is supposed to pay as there are no rules’ due to the fact him and myself are both UK citizens. Not even paying a contribution amount and not even bothering to look into it so I have had no choice but to go down the REMO route. Those papers have only just gone off to then as it took 6 months just to get these papers (CMS were dicking around in the mean time and not helping with this) so he owes me aLOT of money in under payments which I know America won’t be interested in and he hasn’t paid me for a year… has anyone actually had any success with the Remo route? I’m slowly running out of any positivity. I can’t afford legal help so I’m on my own.

can anyone share this experiences with me please? Anything I need to know that they don’t tell you etc?

OP posts:
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Mummyofj · 06/07/2023 22:42

Hi. Sorry for jumping on topic.

my ex is in Canada. I just getting emails from his solicitor in there that he appeals the REMO enforcement. Obv no court number or no info from REMO.

anyone had that pleasure with applying enforcement?

Sunchi · 09/07/2023 19:59

Hi Mummyofj
I have a fair amount of experience with REMO and my UK court order was enforced through the Swedish Enforcement Agency as my ex refused to pay voluntarily when my paperwork arrived in Sweden.

I'm assuming you're getting emails from his solicitor via REMO as they are handling your case this end?

Original poster
Legaldispair · 09/07/2023 23:04

I’m just coming back to say that I finally had an email from the uk court, I sent all the paperwork in January and it has only just been sent to America.. the email basically said not to get my hopes up and don’t bother chasing! I’m owed so much money it is literally life changing for me and dc as it would mean I could use the money as a deposit on a house so I can provide dc with a stable home instead of renting … he earns shed loads of money but I just know he is going to get out of it. I have no forwarding address or phone number for him over there… just an email and who he works for which is a massive company but not holding my breath..

OP posts:
Mummyofj · 09/07/2023 23:15

The point is that I am getting emails from his private solicitor directly. REMO did not update me and when I called them last Friday they did not see any recent updates from 25/06/23.

What happens when the court enforces the order and he does not want to pay?

Sunchi · 10/07/2023 09:08

Hi Mummyofj
Your ex has a legal obligation to pay for child maintenance wherever he lives. If you don't have a child maintenance order from this country, then through REMO, the court in Canada will make one for you and your ex will be summoned to present his finances. The court will then make a judgement.

This procedure will follow the Canadian legal system and not the British legal system. So whatever enforcement laws they have in Canada will apply to him. He will be given time to pay and if he doesn't this could be enforced, but unfortunately I don't know if Canada has any enforcement organisation. Have you tried googling? What does his solicitor want? If he has one, it certainly means his feathers have been ruffled.

If you have a case number and a case worker, then you can contact them directly. This, in my opinion, is always the best way to get information about what is going on.

REMO is pretty swamped with work. I know people are getting emails with a 5 month delay. It is appalling. I think this is a result of COVID, a restructure and just generally very poor practice. I think staff numbers there are very small, probably no more than 6-10.

Collaborate · 10/07/2023 09:44

The only way to have any agency in the process is to instruct your own lawyer in the jurisdiction where the paying parent lives and works.

Sunchi · 10/07/2023 18:28

Hi Collaborate
I don't necessarily agree with your point about instructing your own lawyer in the foreign country. REMO instruct lawyers in the foreign country to go to court on your behalf. I also think it depends on the culture in the foreign country/state and how much they will tolerate someone who does not pay child maintenance.

Some states in the US and Canada put men in prison for refusing to pay child maintenance. In Sweden, a non-payer will have a black mark registered against their credit rating, at the very minimum.

Many women do not have the funds to pay for a lawyer in this country, let alone pay for one in a foreign country.

Mummyofj · 10/07/2023 22:12

Sunchi I agree with you in 100%

Mummyofj · 10/07/2023 22:20

, I know that he is scared as his idea was to declare in the UK min income to pay nothing. He knows that for 5 years he fraud in the UK.

He wasn't to pay as per the UK orders. And he wants me to cover all court costs in Canada. He remarried 2 months after divorce to a Canadian citizen and a year after applying for residency there.

His lawyer documents do not state the court number and even my address in the UK was not given.

Canada is very harsh with people that wish to avoid paying for children. They can take directly from his income. That is offensive in Canada not pay for child maintenance.

From what I understood from relation is that he appeal the enforcement of court order from the UK. I know that he has 30 days to pay back. That what I was googled.

What is worth his solicitor letters if there is no court case number?

Sunchi · 10/07/2023 22:21

Hi legaldispair
I am so sorry to hear of your distress.

REMO is taking a very long time to send off applications, which is worrying. Once upon a time they had a KPI (key performance indicator) of 5 working days to send an initial application.

If you don't have a court order from the UK, then REMO will process one for you in the US. Generally, you won't be able to ask for arrears until your court order has been made legally binding in the US. However, in some cases you can and it is worth asking.

If you can come into contact with your case worker - you will need a case number - then you will have direct contact, which will make everything so much easier and much faster for you.

Sunchi · 18/07/2023 20:22

Hi Mummyofj
If you went to court in the UK then you should have a case number on your Consent Order. Your consent order is then put to court in Canada and normally made legally binding automatically. It may possibly say on your court order that this can be appealed. Has he appealed this?

He can ask you to pay his legal fees, but good luck with that. The whole purpose of REMO is that it is free of charge for you.

If he has appealed this in Canada, the judge would look at his finances and yours and make a decision. He cannot get out of making these payments.

Look at your REMO paperwork or your Consent Order for a case number and not his solicitor's letters. Look at your REMO paperwork for Canadian addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses.

Mummyofj · 18/07/2023 21:56

He appealing in Canada. I have nothing from REMO at all. I contacted them - email phone. The last bit from them is info that they send it to Canada and month ago that they asked for update.

only he now every week from 3 weeks harassing me through this solicitor. I’m so stressed

ChaliceinWonderland · 18/07/2023 22:11

I'm using a REMO to apply for maintenance from my ex in Italy. Waited ages to get paperwork, submitted last week.
Waiting game now....
Not paid me anything for 4 years! Who knows if they backdate it,...

Original poster
Legaldispair · 18/07/2023 23:27

@Sunchi sorry I have only just seen your response. I have a court order from jan UK when we had to go to court about him disputing all the back payments he owes me from his time in the UK he underpaid me… that went to the UK court? I dont think I get a case worker? All I have had is an email that says it has gone to the US and how basically I shouldn’t hold my breath! This money is life changing for me and dc but it isn’t looking very positive…

OP posts:
Sunchi · 21/07/2023 17:49

Hi ChaliceinWonderland
I would doubt very much if they would backdate the outstanding arrears. If you had a Consent Order from the UK, then you would have had more of a chance of receiving them.

Sunchi · 21/07/2023 17:53

Mummyofj
I am so sorry to hear that you are receiving letters from his solicitor, that can be gutwrenching. However, it will be costing him.

That you have applied for child maintenance through REMO is a positive move for your child. Stay with the process. It does take forever, but you will get there.

Sunchi · 21/07/2023 17:58

Hi Legaldispair
You would only get a case-worker in your ex's country. REMO is too small an organisation to allocate applicants a case worker.

There are certain states in the US where they will take into consideration back payments, but only up to a year, I believe. Otherwise, you will only be allowed backdated payments from the time your case goes to court in the US.

I've heard positive things from a number of US states in terms of how efficient they are - unlike REMO.

Original poster
Legaldispair · 21/07/2023 21:37

@Sunchi i’m not convinced I’m going to get anywhere, my eldest is 17… he owes mega money from the UK from under payments and a court order showed this, then hasn’t paid anything since he moved to New York about 18 months ago….

OP posts:
mommatoone · 22/07/2023 22:31

Following with interest. Im 3 years in with this process and still nothing. The last i heard was April this year to say they though they had found my ex . The whole process is so frustrating, not to mention the financial strain. Good luck OP.

Sunchi · 23/07/2023 12:33

@Legaldispair
I feel your frustration. I wish REMO were better at their job, but they just seem to be getting worse. I made a complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombdusman 10 years ago and they agreed with my complaint and I was awarded compensation. I had hoped that things would have improved 10 years on, but they just seem to be out of control now.

All I can say, is hang on in there. Keep chasing them and don't take their opinions to heart - they are wrong on so many things. Get your case number from the US and then, if possible, chase through the NY organisation that will be handling things. I've heard in some states that they are super fast. Try to get some of your child maintenance back-dated - some states allow it. At least the US take non-payment of child support seriously, unlike here.

Sunchi · 23/07/2023 12:38

@mommatoone
Yes, it must be so hard if you don't know where your ex is, but if REMO have found him, that's massive. It is incredibly frustrating and financially draining when you are the sole provider.

REMO is a brilliant idea, but the reality is that it is vastly under-resourced and the application process is not monitored, so nobody knows what is going on, and where in the chain, your paperwork is.

If you can get hold of a case worker in the country where your ex now lives, then that's life line. REMO do not have enough staff to provide a case worker here.

mommatoone · 23/07/2023 14:55

@Sunchi - thankyou. I dont think Covid helped the situation, as there is now a significant backlog. Ill just keep plugging away and see where it takes me. Lets hope the bastard gets sunburn whilst living the high life in his new home🤣🤣

Original poster
Legaldispair · 23/07/2023 17:18

@Sunchi where would I find that information? Through the NY organisation I mean?

OP posts:
Serrina · 24/07/2023 15:58

Legaldispair · 18/07/2023 23:27

@Sunchi sorry I have only just seen your response. I have a court order from jan UK when we had to go to court about him disputing all the back payments he owes me from his time in the UK he underpaid me… that went to the UK court? I dont think I get a case worker? All I have had is an email that says it has gone to the US and how basically I shouldn’t hold my breath! This money is life changing for me and dc but it isn’t looking very positive…

When they say "shouldn't hold your breath" what did they mean? Were those their exact words? I'm currently going through this process myself and it's stressing me out so much

Serrina · 24/07/2023 16:04

Sunchi · 23/07/2023 12:38

@mommatoone
Yes, it must be so hard if you don't know where your ex is, but if REMO have found him, that's massive. It is incredibly frustrating and financially draining when you are the sole provider.

REMO is a brilliant idea, but the reality is that it is vastly under-resourced and the application process is not monitored, so nobody knows what is going on, and where in the chain, your paperwork is.

If you can get hold of a case worker in the country where your ex now lives, then that's life line. REMO do not have enough staff to provide a case worker here.

I've just started this process, but I know exactly where my ex lives, where he works and even his social security number which I've provided all of this information to REMO. Would this speed up the process at all? According to the gentleman I spoke to at REMO it should, he said most of the delays occur when they have to trace the person, which they shouldn't have to do in my case.